Reoccurring Dreams
by Scepidilionz
Summary: Yuri is falling for Otabek, hard. But in this transition period from being a child and a man, can Otabek allow himself to feel the same way? Will become rated M in future chapters.
1. Chapter 1

Yuri's fingers glided against the glass screen of his phone as pictures flew by his eyes. He was bored, terribly so, the night after the start of the Rostelecom cup. He had smashed his old records for this point in the season, Yakov was extremely proud. But for some reason, that didn't matter to him today. What mattered was the tanner man, with his extremely well cut hair, that flubbed a jump today.

Otabek never flubbed a jump. Yuri had never even heard of the man doing so in this past year since he had met him. So what had happened today? The Quadruple axel had sent him spiraling to the ground, and it almost looked like the skater had seriously injured himself, but he got right back up and continued with his performance. Surely there was no way he _hadn't_ injured himself. But his smiling face touring around Moscow said otherwise.

Yuri couldn't help but smile as he saw a picture of Otabek kneeling on the ground, palm outstretched, luring one of the many street cats towards him. The cat stared at him, sitting on its haunches. _What a cute picture… No, what a cute cat._ He rolled over, turning off the light of his screen, arms wrapped around a pillow, burying his face into it. It smelled like a hotel. Gross.

Yuri remembered how Otabek had looked at him when he got off of the ice. For a split second, there was a spark in his eye, but the man had looked away. _Shame. That was shame._ Yuri realised, _Had he known that he was going to mess up?_

His coaches were out, gathering a meal. They gave Yuri his space at times like this, to let him rest. Especially after he had done well. He appreciated it, he loved the silence, and just being able to think about the day's events. However, the silence was broken from the vibration of his phone, "Who?" He said aloud, reaching for it to see a text message flashing across his home screen.

" _Where are you? Want to grab coffee?"_

It was Otabek. What was he doing? He should be resting. " _I'm in the hotel. Where? Coffee sounds great."_ He sat up, fixing his hair. He stumbled around the room as he pulled on a new pair of socks, and fumbled with the button of his jeans. His shirt was his usual, a crumpled T-shirt. He nearly stubbed his toe in his eager rush.

He reached for his phone as the screen lit up, before even giving it the chance to ring, _"Alright, on my way. I have an extra helmet."_

" _I'm not made of glass. Just drive safely, moron."_ Yuri slid his phone into his back pocket alongside his wallet. At least now he would be able to ask Otabek what on earth happened today.

He scribbled a note for his coaches, leaving it on the bed. If he texted them, they would try to talk him out of going, and scold him. Leaving a note would delay the inevitable. He grabbed his room key, charging out of the room, wondering why he was in such a rush. Sure, there was making sure that his coaches didn't get home before he left, but his heart was pounding. He hadn't been able to spend time with Otabek since the previous Grand Prix, they were both so busy, and being from different countries complicated the mix.

" _I'm here."_ Read the next text, shortly after. Yuri scanned the entrance of the hotel for the memorable motorcycle. His eyes fell on the glimmer of Otabek's helmet, the setting sun bouncing off of it, and straight into his eyes.

"Altin!" He called, and Otabek looked up from his phone, meeting his eyes. Yuri slid his hands into his pockets, walking over. "Yo."

"Yo." He greeted in return, passing Yuri the helmet. Yuri slid it onto his head, clasping it. "Congrats on your performance today. You were quite impressive." Yuri hopped onto the back of the bike, arms around his waist. Fear alight in his eyes.

"Go. Go!" Yuri shouted as Lilia pointed towards him, and Otabek zoomed off. Lilia looked pissed, and Yakov seemed to be out for blood. Yuri couldn't help but laugh, seeing how their faces had lit up completely red. His phone started to go off, but he ignored it, putting it on silent. Otabek couldn't help but chuckle as well.

"You are in so much trouble." Otabek smiled, stopping at a red light, Yuri was still laughing, his voice dancing a blissful melody over the cold air.

"So are you, they're probably going to press kidnapping charges." He smiled, leaning forward to see Otabek's face, where there wasn't a shred of worry. The laughter faded from Yuri's face, and changed to a furrowed brow, "Otabek, what happened today?"

"Don't want to talk about it." He said as the light turned green. Whatever he spoke after that was drowned out by the hum of the motorcycle's engine, and the wind rushing in their ears. He skidded to a halt, hearing Yuri yelp, outside the coffee shop. Ice flew into the air as he did.

"Are you trying to kill me?!" Yuri yelled, hopping off of the bike, his heart hammering. He scanned the area, finding it familiar. Of course it was, he had been here frequently.

"Actually, yes." He joked, getting off as well. Yuri huffed, cheeks flushed from the sting of the cold air. "Well?" He wanted to wrap his arm around Yuri's and lead him inside, but something in him begged him not to.

"How do you know my favourite coffee shop is Moscow?" Yuri asked, looking up to the sign, it was glowing bright reds and orange with neon lights. Memories came rushing back of every weekend when his grandfather would bring him here, well, before they moved to St. Petersberg. It was good to be back. He loved the way the acidic scent of the coffee stung at his nose, and the sudden warmth compared to the outside sent tingles flying across his skin.

"You posted a couple of pictures here before."

"You're a creep." He said with a smile. Otabek noticed the little things like that, huh? "Stop stalking me." He said, elbowing him, "Or I might be the one to call the police."

"Stop liking my photos from two years ago, stalker." He smiled, leading the younger man towards a seat. The smell of freshly ground coffee beans ignited their senses, waking them up from the cold of Moscow. "I notice."

"Well, maybe if you posted more, it wouldn't be so easy for me to scroll all the way down." He sat down, looking at the menu. He loved this place. The brown of the tables was so warm and inviting, he could spend an entire day here, reading or scrolling through his feeds.

"I only post because you ask me to." He admitted, leaning back in the seat of his booth, hands resting on the red leather. "I hate social media."

"Freak." Yuri said, ordering a Chai latte, and straight black coffee for Otabek. "How's life been treating you?" He asked, still concerned about the events earlier in the day.

"Well, I'm just a tad stressed." He put the menu down, seeing that Yuri already knew what he was going to get anyway. He always wanted to try something new, but nothing stood out to him, so he ended up getting black coffee at every one of their outings. "And you?"

"Same." He hadn't been sleeping well either. Yakov was being tough on him this season, especially recently. Not only that… but he had started to really notice some physical changes. He was gaining weight rapidly. He had to start worrying about facial hair, especially near performances. Lilia had started teaching him how to wax it, but that was painful. Most men didn't wax their hair because of the pain. "I'm not a kid anymore. Lilia and Yakov are having a hard time grasping that." He had entered puberty a long time ago, but now smaller changes were starting to add up. He was getting taller much faster. "It's making it hard on me too." He admitted, feeling vulnerable, "But they'll get the fuck over it. I know what I need to do."

Otabek smiled. Whenever they were together, Yuri was the more talkative one, "I understand." He had been through the same thing, all male figure skaters had. Yuri was so talented that it made it harder on him, because people still expected him to be the perfect child he was in the past. "It will get easier as time goes on. Then before you know it, it's completely normal."

Yuri nodded, smiling when their coffees were delivered to the table. He said his thanks to the waitress, before taking a picture of Otabek with his coffee, earning a raised brow. "Someone needs to take pictures for you, or you'll never do it." He smirked, "See? You look pathetically adorable." He smiled, placing his head in his palm, propping himself up on the table.

Otabek reached a hand back to rub at his own neck, "Wow thanks. But I'm certainly not as cute some others we both know… Mila?" He asked, and Yuri spat out some of his coffee.

"Ew! You think that hag is attractive? Get your eyes checked!" He got defensive, turning his attention towards his coffee, gently sipping at the foam that covered the top, being careful not to burn his wind burned lips.

"I'm not saying that I think she's attractive, I'm asking if you do." He took a sip of the coffee, his hand still on his neck. He let the bitterness of the liquid dance on his tongue before swallowing it.

Yuri blushed, "No." He said, folding his arms and leaning back, "She's not ugly. But I don't like what you're insinuating. I don't like g- her. I don't like her." Altin was acting strangely. "Are you feeling alright?" He finally noticed that Otabek was preoccupied with his neck. "Beka… Are you hurt?" As angry as he was, the fury in his eyes shifted to deep concern.

He nodded, "Yeah, just a little bruised up. I'll be fine." Yuri wasn't going to let it go, he could see it in his eyes. "I got in a car accident back home, on my way to the airport." It was the worst time to have gotten into an accident.

"Can I have these to-go, please?" Yuri said politely to the people behind the counter, earning a strange glance from Otabek. "I'm driving. Give me your keys." Yuri wasn't old enough to get a license for automobiles. In Russia, the legal driving age was eighteen, however for motorcycles, the limit was set to two years younger.

"Hell no." He said, but Yuri continued to hold out his hand, "I have an injury, I am fine to drive. You'd kill us."

"Stop being a little shit. I've been taking motorcycle lessons. Give. Me. The. Keys." He enunciated every word, not budging a centimeter. Otabek was hesitant, but finally dropped the keys into Yuri's palm. "Good." He said, worried about his friend. _He tried skating with a neck injury._ "You're an idiot, you shouldn't be skating with an injury."

"If I drop out now, I can't compete the rest of the season. No way." He followed Yuri out, to-go cups in hand, placing them in the cupholders on the side of the engine. "I just need to do well enough here to give me a chance for finals. I'll worry about it between now and my next competition."

"You're an idiot." Yuri said, "You're trying to ruin your career, aren't you?" He put the keys in the ignition, taking off carefully and slowly. He didn't race between cars and narrow streets like Otabek did, "Do you have any idea how worried I was when you took that fall?"

"Stop worrying about me, Yuri. I'll be fine." He didn't like Yuri worrying about him, "You weren't like this a couple of months ago when I fractured my wrist."

"I wasn't there. And you don't know that." He bit down on his lip, jaw tense, "You're a moron. I can't convey that through text, or stupid GIFs, or instagrams." They rode in silence until they got to the hotel. Yuri pulled around to the back entrance. Somehow, Yuri was proving to be quite the responsible driver. "Get off. Go to your room. I'll be back." He said.

"Excuse me?" Otabek asked, getting off of the bike, "You shouldn't be driving around alone. You don't have your license yet, and that bike is in my name." Yuri was behaving rashly, and that scared him.

"Go to bed!" He shouted, storming off. Otabek cursed, wondering what the blonde was up to. He trusted Yuri to be safe, he was smart; so he turned and headed through the back doors, hotel key in hand.

He slipped into his dark room, flicking one of the lights on. He set the coffee cups on the nightstand. The man sat down on his bed, slipping his shoes off as his mind wandered to his Russian compatriot. He was going through a lot, this was a confusing time for any young man. He was seeing Yuri grow up, but Yuri was already an adult. He was mature, and intelligent, and incredibly talented. His body was just finishing catching up to that.

He felt himself start to doze off, when there was a knock on the door. "Ugh…" He groaned, getting up carefully, before wandering towards the sound. "Yuri." He said upon seeing the blonde, who shoved his way in, a pharmacy bag in hand.

"Take your shirt off, lay on the bed." He said, pulling out some kind of ointment. Otabek was hesitant, "I said do it. Do you need me to undress you, or are you capable of doing that yourself, big boy?" He teased. He needed this distraction. It was making him forget about his own problems.

Otabek rolled his eyes, deciding to amuse him. "It wouldn't kill you to say please. I know you want my ass, but this is no way to go about it." He unbuttoned his shirt, laying on his stomach.

"Please, if I wanted it, I would have gotten it already." Yuri hopped on the man's back, more specifically, his posterior, as he started rubbing the ointment into his neck and upper back. It smelled like mint, and the menthol in it felt cool on their skin.

"Who says I want you?" Otabek relaxed, Yuri's hands working painful bliss.

"Don't make me hit you." Yuri sighed, leaning into his work a little bit more. He heard Otabek moan, and a blush crept across his face, "Weirdo! Keep it together!" He scolded, but didn't cease in his actions.

"Platonic moaning is perfectly acceptable- Oh. Yes. Right there." He said, and felt Yuri concentrate on the spot that he specified. The older skater sighed in relief, this was the first time he had someone else to tend to this injury. Though he was having a hard time controlling his voice, the pain for the bruising being relieved so delicately.

"Where's your coach?" Yuri asked, "This would be a hard thing to explain." Not that he was worried about someone seeing them, but Otabek would be.

"You're clothed, I'm clothed. My coach and I do not room together." He said, wincing as Yuri hit a tender spot. "Ah ah ah…! Ouch!" He tensed up, and Yuri pulled his hands away ever so slightly.

"Sorry."

"No you're not."

"Correct."

Otabek was thankful for the rub down, the oils in the ointment that Yuri had purchased were doing wonderfully to numb the pain and reduce inflammation. "Thanks." He said, sitting up. Yuri had kept at it for half an hour, not complaining, enjoying their friendly teasing.

"Don't hurt yourself again. You're too much to deal with." Yuri said, wiping the lotion off onto his pants, not bothering to get up from the bed. "I need to go upstairs-"

"You've got some on your face." Otabek reached over, swiping his calloused thumb across the soft skin on the outside of Yuri's lip. "There. That probably didn't taste great." He went to pull his hand away, but suddenly Yuri's hand was on top of his, holding it firmly to his cheek.

Yuri felt embarrassed when he realised his actions. He had done it without thinking! "Yeah, well it wouldn't have ended up there if you had decided to get professional medical treatment." He was about to let the hand go, when Otabek's fingers intertwined with his, "Beka?" He asked nervously, scanning for Otabek's eyes in the darkness, their golden glimmer easy to spot.

"You should… Go to bed. Yeah. The free skate is tomorrow." He felt Yuri lean closer, it was almost imperceptible, especially in the dimly lit hotel room.

"Yeah. Free skate. That's right." Yuri said, wondering why his heart was beating so quickly. He suddenly felt warm all over, he knew what this feeling was. "Ah, shit!" He got up letting go of Otabek in a hurry, "Good luck!" He stormed out, rushing to the elevator. Otabek didn't follow him.

He rushed into the hotel room, storming into the bathroom. Yakov was still up, waiting for him, and Lilia woke up at the sounds that Yuri was making. "Yuri! Where have you been?!" Yakov was about to go into full scolding mode.

"Leave me alone!" Yuri shouted, turning on the shower water, as cold as he could possibly make it. It would be just like the sobering baths he took back home with Viktor, especially around the new year.

The bangs on the door didn't stop, and Lilia demanded answers. "Yuri! This is inexcusable! You have a competition tomorrow!-"

"I… I was…!" Yuri searched for any answer he could give, anything to escape the situation, "I was with a girl!" How could he be feeling this way? No, this was wrong. Not Otabek. Not his best friend.

Otabek wasn't the one to miss a jump the next day.

 **Hello there!**

 **This is my first Yuri and Otabek story, I am super excited!  
**

 **Please note that this story will become rated M in the next couple of chapters. :)**

 **Please let me know what you thought!**


	2. Chapter 2

Beijing was such a beautiful city, filled with beautiful people, and beautiful buildings. Yuri paced through the narrow walls of his hotel room, before pausing to look out the window for the upteenth time. _Why hasn't he landed yet? He said he would text me as soon as he landed, did his phone die?_

"Yuri, I do not like that you are going out to dinner without us." Yakov said, folding his arms as Lilia worked at unpacking some of the things they would need for the next day. "And that you won't tell us who it is. We have a right to know this."

"Shut it." He said, checking his phone again, "I told you, it's another skater, and that I will be safe." He trusted Otabek with his life.

These past few months had been hard. He and Otabek had been keeping in contact more, telling each other about more of the outlandish things that occurred in their lives. More recently, Otabek had broken up with his girlfriend. He had told Yuri that he had simply just 'fallen out of love', but Yuri suspected more than that. If he was seeing someone else now, he surely hadn't brought it up.

"I want a text every hour." Lilia said, reminding Yuri of the conditions that she had set. "And updates of your location." They were worried that Yuri was seeing one of the younger female skaters, who happened to be at both the Rostelecom cup, and here at the Cup of China.

Yakov didn't like it at all. Girls made young skaters stupid, and do stupid things. They would always be worried about impressing her, and that caused them to deviate from their choreography, or attempt jumps that they weren't ready for.

Yakov pulled Yuri aside, into the bathroom. Yuri just went with it, although he was curious as to why they were leaving Lilia's earshot. "Listen, Yuri. You're a smart boy, but women are tricky. They'll try and make you do things you aren't ready for, like marriage for one." He paused, thinking of Lilia back in the main room. Yuri looked absolutely disgusted, "So be safe, use a-"

"Oh my god. No! No! Stop there!" Yuri covered his ears, "Lalalalala!" He left the dark bathroom, leaving Yakov speechless, "Lalalalala!" He kept going until he was sure that Yakov had stopped speaking, and Lilia was baffled as to what was going on, "I don't need the talk!" He defended, "I'm not a fucking dolt!"

Lilia couldn't help but stifle a laugh, making it come out as a snort, "Well, if you would tell us who you were sneaking off with, we wouldn't have to wonder-"

Yuri raised his hand to silence her as his phone beeped so that he could concentrate on reading it. A smile immediately lit up on his face, his eyes sparking. _"Sorry, got held up at security. Apparently extra skating blades could be contrived as a weapon. I'm taking a taxi to the hotel, be ready in fifteen minutes. I booked us a table at Nanxincang."_

" _Yes sir, I've been ready for an hour. Yakov tried to give me 'the talk', what a freak."_ He couldn't stop smiling, and was completely unable to take his eyes off his phone as he sent the message, leading Yakov and Lilia to whisper.

 _Oh no, I know that look._ Yakov thought, it was the look that ruined his life. _No, Yuri. Don't do it. Whoever she is, she's not worth it._

 _Oh! How cute! Yurachaka is in love!_

"Oi! Stop giving me weird looks!" Yuri shouted, swinging a small bag over his shoulder, "See you later!" He headed out, with a gleeful smile on his face as he hopped in the elevator.

 _"You poor thing. I'm starving, so excited for dinner. Trust me on what to get."_ Otabek had been doing a lot of research on restaurants in Beijing.

" _I'd eat anything, airport food sucks. All my layover airport had was weird American restaurants."_ He replied. _"I had some weird wurst covered in breading. I think they called it a Wheat dog?"_

" _It's a corn dog LOL."_ Was the last text exchanged between them before Otabek's taxi pulled up. He got out of the vehicle with his bags and coach. "Yo!" He called, seeing Yuri sitting on the curb. "Hope you don't mind waiting a few more minutes, I have to check in and set my bags down."

"Not at all." Yuri smiled, getting up and dusting off his black jeans, "It's good to see you, you kept me waiting too long, asshole."

"Wow, fresh with the insults." Otabek smiled, dragging his suitcase behind him, "How was your flight?"

"Thankfully no screaming babies." He never wanted kids, they were just way too goddamn loud. "Yakov gets us first class tickets for longer flights like this." Thank goodness. "Took a couple of shots and slept through the whole thing."

"That's good." He went up to the counter, dealing with adult business, before he was handed his room key. "I missed you." He admitted as they went into the elevator alone. Even though they spoke every day, it was weird without actually seeing him. Every time they came into physical contact, he had to remind himself that Yuri really was a flesh and blood human being.

"You too." Yuri smiled sincerely, and they got to Otabek's room, setting down his belongings.

Otabek looked in the mirror briefly to fix his hair, knowing that it was probably a disaster after the flight. He caught Yuri looking at him through the reflection, watching how his hands moved to make himself presentable, "See something you like?"

"Shut the fuck up." Yuri said, turning away. "There's just a giant knot on the back of your head." He reached up to help Otabek get it out, using his fingers as a comb, "Jeez, you did a number on this one." He finally untangled it, "Sorry if I hurt you."

"I'm not really tender headed." He said, making sure he had his wallet and his room key, "Let's go, the taxi is still waiting for us." He hadn't bothered to rent a car, the traffic in Beijing was awful, and it would be way too stressful for him to be driving himself around.

They got into the taxi, shoving and pushing each other the entire way. Otabek stopped when Yuri nearly fell, worried he would get hurt.

The taxi ride was wonderful, they watched the people of Beijing start heading home for the night. Yuri leaned over to the right side of the back seat, behind the driver, to point out the window to something that he found interesting. In this case, it was a tiger striped umbrella with black lace that some woman was carrying over her head to shield her from the drizzle. "That is so cool, I need it, now." He said, laughing.

"Yeah, it's pretty cool-" The driver skidded to a halt, cursing in Chinese. Yuri fell into Otabek's lap, having not been wearing his seat belt, because the taxi lacked them altogether. Someone had pulled in front of the cab.

Yuri's eyes were wide in shock, and Otabek's hands were around his waist. "Thanks." Yuri panted, trying to get up, but as he did, the cab pulled to another harsh stop, send him falling straight into Otabek's arms, their faces inches from each other.

Otabek felt like his heart was about to leap out of his chest, and Yuri's face was on fire. Despite that, neither of them were moving. Yuri silently prayed that the cabbie would nearly kill them for a third time.

Otabek cleared his throat, and Yuri looked down for a moment, biting his lip pensively, his eyes dark and seductive in a face that Otabek didn't know he could make. "You gonna let me go, or what?" Yuri said in a low gravelly tone, bringing his hands to meet Otabek's which were still at his hips. "Or do you have something else on your mind?"

"Dinner. I have dinner on my mind." He looked at Yuri's lips, which were wet and pouting. "And currently, your hands are locking mine in place."

Yuri loosened his grip, and so did Otabek after a moment. The Russian slid back into his seat, "Hmph." He folded his arms, obviously not happy. _I don't understand, am I not good enough? Am I too big? Too tall?_ All of Yakov's and Lilia's words were getting to his head. They never said them to his face, it was always subtle between the two. About how he was no longer physically fit to be a ballerina, he was too big. He needed to be put on a diet plan. Lilia wanted to limit his protein intake, but Yakov was against that.

"Think of where we are, Yuri. Think of where you are from, and the country you are representing. Think of where I am from." He paused, and Yuri seemed to loosen up, "What would happen to us if photos found their way onto the internet? Shock therapy is legal in both of our countries, especially in Almaty. Your country encourages it. Remember who we are, and the influence we are on our people, and how both of our countries would want to shut this down, fast." He met Yuri's eyes, which seemed terrified, "We might not be as lucky as Viktor and Yuuri."

"Otabek. I'm gay." His voice cracked, "And I hate it."

"Don't. Don't hate it." He was touched by his honesty, and knowing how much it hurt him to say it, "But do be afraid, Yuri. The world isn't kind to people like us." He reached out for Yuri's hand, and Yuri took it, "Be strong."

Yuri nodded, tucking his hair behind his ears, "I'm sorry… I didn't mean to get emotional all of a sudden. You're right." He rubbed his thumb across the top of Otabek's hand, "You are… too?"

Otabek nodded, "I've gotten beyond the point where I need to talk about it. You will too. My girlfriend… She found out. It's why we broke up." He was thankful that the cab driver didn't speak Russian. "Don't ever get a cover, it isn't worth it." Having to pretend to love someone was emotionally draining.

Yuri nodded, looking up when they stopped in front of the restaurant, and the cab driver held out his hand for the fare. Yuri beat Otabek to the punch, and paid the man for both the drive from the airport, and to the restaurant.

It was starting to rain more heavily, and neither of the foreigners had brought an umbrella, so they rushed inside. Yuri had a faint smile on his face, which contrasted with the tears in his eyes. Otabek said a few words to the hostess in Chinese, which sounded rough and jumbled, but she seemed to understand what she was saying, and checked their names off a list, leading them upstairs.

"I didn't know you spoke Chinese." Yuri said.

"I don't, I just memorised a couple of phrases I would need while we were here." He had clearly been preparing for this for awhile. He had to admit, his plans had gone a little astray with the cab ride, but it wouldn't matter.

They were led to a private room, overlooking the city. The room was meant to seat about six people, but only two chairs had been left at opposing sides of the table. "Wow." Yuri said, getting distracted and looking out the window. "So, what are we eating?"

Otabek took out his phone, reading what was written on it to say a few more words to the waitress, who smiled, heading out. "Sesame citrus soup, Peking duck, and Fairy floss with fruit." He smiled, meeting Yuri by the window. The candles were reflecting off of the inside of the glass, blending in with the now lit street lights from below. "And various fruits to start. They have wonderful cherries, and Nanxincang is known for their presentation and treatment of foreigners."

"Fairy floss?" Yuri asked, everything else seemed fine and dandy, and he was starving. "They're serving cotton candy in a restaurant like this?"

"Yeah." Otabek nodded, "Cool right?" This had to be one of the most beautiful restaurants that he had ever seen. Everything seemed to be made of crystal, and the walls were painted to resemble carved marble.

Yuri managed to pull himself away from the view to go sit down. Otabek followed, sitting on the opposite side of the table. He was happy he had gotten a private room in advance, from the sound of it, the lower floor was extremely busy. The waitress came in with a smoking bowl of ice. In it, there was a second bowl that was suspended in the dry ice below. This bowl contained regular shaved ice, with various fruits on top, sliced and arranged in a beautiful and colourful circle. "Wow!" Yuri said, never having seen anything like it, "That's so cool!" He took a picture of it, the smoke from the ice glowing amber in the dim candle light, which his camera wasn't able to capture as perfectly as he would have liked.

"It sure is prettier than everyone said." Otabek admitted, picking up chopsticks and using them to capture a strawberry that was drizzled in a small amount of white chocolate. "Oh wow." He wasn't sure why, but this was an especially delicious strawberry, and it seemed to fizz in his mouth. "Is this carbonated?"

"No way, that's so fucking cool!" Yuri popped a small tangerine into his mouth, eyes going wide when he felt the bubbled dance on his tongue, "Wow! Amazing!" He said, which reminded himself of Viktor. Ew, he was starting to turn into him.

The waitress smiled, pouring them some champagne, leaving the bottle on the table alongside a pitcher of water, and heading out. "Be light on the alcohol." Otabek advised, seeing as they had a competition the next day.

"I'm Ruski, a little french bubbly frilly thing won't kill me." Yuri took a sip, not admitting how much he liked it. It was so much better than vodka.

"Mhm." Otabek said, "You say that now." Because of the carbonation in champagne, the alcohol hit the blood a lot faster. "Though for my sake, please keep it light. Your coaches would kill me if I brought you back drunk."

"They don't know I'm with you. I didn't tell them who I was going out with."

"Oh great, so you're coming home drunk after being with someone they don't know." He had it in his right mind to send Yakov a text saying that Yuri was with him. "Why are you being so secretive about it?"

"In case they think you would be a bad influence." Another sip of the champagne, in combination with a strawberry. "They don't know you like I do. I wouldn't want them to judge you."

"No need to worry about that." Plus, he hadn't done anything wrong, had he? He took a cherry this time, "Mmm, oh my god." Cherries really were his favourite fruit.

"That would make a great sound byte." Yuri laughed, and Otabek blushed, which was an unusual sight. "Can I make that my ringtone for you? Here, say it again." He leaned over the table with a cherry between his slender and delicate fingers, popping it into the other man's mouth, who this time didn't make a sound. "Oh come on!"

Otabek winked, feeling risque, "You just love that sound don't you?"

"O-Otabek!" Yuri blushed, quickly popping a lychee into his mouth so that he couldn't say anything embarrassing or potentially dirty. He couldn't even insult Otabek by calling him an asshole, because he would clearly make a joke out of that. He sure was _lewd behind closed doors_. Oops!

The smell of a beautiful duck wandered into the room as the waitress walked in, seeing that they were almost done with their fruit, and she set it on the table. A chef followed her in, carving the duck for them, "Oh my god, how are we ever going to eat all of that?" Yuri questioned, looking at Otabek sincerely. The waitress set the sesame soup in front of them, orange peel lining the outside of the bowl like limes on a margarita. There were diced bits of oranges swimming alongside the noodles. "I'm literally drooling." Another picture was taken, of both the soup, and the duck that was beginning to be laid in front of them.

"Mmm, oh my god." Yuri moaned, putting a piece of the duck in his mouth. He almost had to wipe tears from his eyes, "No way."

"Sorry, that was an excellent sound byte- dear god." The chef smiled, seeing that they were clearly enjoying the duck, and added a bottle of wine to the table, saying something in Chinese, which Otabek nodded to with a smile, "He says it pairs well with the duck."

"I feel like Chris after a really good performance." Yuri said, and Otabek nearly fell out of his chair, making Yuri snort with laughter, "You should see your face!" Hahaha!"

"I don't need to know this!" He climbed back onto his chair, sitting down taking another bite. "Though it is quite delicious." He was happy to see that Yuri was enjoying the food so much. "Have you been eating well in Russia?" This was probably a sensitive topic.

Yuri shook his head, "I'm not allowed to. Yakov and Lilia have me on a strict diet." He got the calories he needed to maintain his weight and health, nothing more and nothing less. Monitoring his diet was extremely stressful. "I told Lilia I would halve my portions tonight, but fuck that." He didn't like the way dieting made him feel, as if his physique wasn't good enough.

"I'm sorry, that sucks."

"It is how it is." He took a sip of the soup, letting it warm his throat, the citrus lingering in his mouth as a brilliant and bright aftertaste.

"Come to Almaty in the off season." He said, taking a sip of wine before and after the duck. The chef was right, it blended perfectly with the succulent taste of the meat. "I'm pretty good at cooking, and you've probably never had Kazakh food before."

"Can't say I have." He pondered it as he swirled the wine beneath his nose, getting a good sniff of it, "I'm sure I could convince Yakov if I take gold in the finals."

"I won't make that easy for you."

"I hope you wouldn't."

 **[enter line here]**

"Driver, could you pull over here?" Otabek asked, definitely on the more drunk side. He was looking at a map on his phone, holding the leftover duck from the restaurant. A very drunk Russian to his left was still eating the candy floss, and would not part with it. _He has such a sweet tooth._ Otabek smiled, heading inside the building that they were next to.

Yuri looked up when Otabek came back without the food, "What was that about?"

"Well, we weren't going to eat it." And by 'we' he meant 'Yuri'. His coaches probably wouldn't let him. "Whenever I have leftovers like that, I like to donate them to the nearest homeless shelter."

Yuri froze, looking at the man with a whole new regard. "That… Oh my god." His memories flashed back to when he had been suddenly left with his grandfather after his father's death, and his mother no longer wanted anything to do with him. His grandfather had had little to nothing, and they often went without food. Somehow, his grandfather had gotten the money to allow Yuri to start ice skating a few years later, and keep food on the table. Yuri from that point on had won money in competitions and endorsements that kept a roof over their head and helped them live comfortably. He sometimes forgot about the rough years that they had. "Otabek. They will appreciate that more than you know."

Otabek smiled, but tensed when Yuri leaned onto his shoulder. The empty bow of candy floss and fruit rested gently in his lap. "Do I have to go up right away? I'm drunk. Yakov won't like that. Let me sober up a bit."

"Ah, so the great Ruski was taken down by frilly french bubbles?" Otabek teased, even though Yuri's proposition made sense.

"Shut up."

"Make me."

"You wouldn't like what I would do." Yuri said, looking up at him. "I can make you shut up with my lips, and I can make you scream with them." He winked, and Otabek's eyes widened. "Come on, I need to sober up, and we need to pass the time." He was purring as they got out of the cab. Otabek nearly forgot to pay the driver because of how quickly he wanted out of the vehicle.

Otabek was drunk too, and the idea of getting in bed with Yuri sounded wonderful. "No, you are drunk."

"I'm legal in both of our countries, as well as China." He said, following Otabek back to his room. "Come ooon. You're so… edible."

"You know what else is edible? This coffee." Otabek said, splashing cold water on his cheeks after turning the hotel coffee machine on. "Drink it." He passed the straight black coffee to his friend, who sat down to start drinking.

"You're a great friend." Yuri said, "But you're also an asshole." He downed the entire paper cup full. "I want you, you want me, what's the issue?" He got up, pinning Otabek to the counter with surprising strength, but Otabek wasn't resisting.

"That we're drunk." He said, harshly breathing when Yuri's knee pressed between his legs. "That we have a competition tomorrow. Your coaches are waiting for you." He suddenly exerted force, pinning Yuri to the bed, "That you've never done this before."

"You don't know that." Yuri said, blushing.

"I do. If you had, you would have had my clothes off before we got in the door. You're hesitant." He had Yuri's arms pinned above his head. "As such, now is not the time. I couldn't skate for a week after my first time." His coach had thought he had seriously injured himself. "So we can't do this now, Yuri."

"I'm not leaving without anything." Yuri said, fierce determination in his eyes.

Yuri couldn't possibly realise what he was saying. "You're drunk. Shut up."

"Make me." He said defiantly, "There's nothing you can do to-"

Otabek forced his lips onto his, swallowing his breath, leaning in forcefully and powerfully. He ran his finger down the soft skin of Yuri's inner arms, all the way until they were able to get tangled in his golden hair, and then the nape of his neck.

Yuri worked his hands to Otabek's waist, not want him to let go, but desperately needing to breathe. "Ah…" He whispered as he pulled away, feeling completely sharp and awake as if his body were on fire.

Otabek was going to lean in for another kiss, but stopped himself before things could get out of hand. "Come on, let's go." He got up, pulling the Russian with him, who was too enamoured to think straight.

"Uhuh." Yuri agreed, seeing stars. He reached for his lips, gently rubbing them with his finger tips. He had no idea they could be so… Sensitive.

They were quiet in the elevator, Yuri was still in shock until they got to his door. Yuri reached for the doorknob about to open it, when he wrapped his arms around Otabek's neck, kissing him again, this time being the one to lead the endeavour.

Otabek couldn't get over how sweet he tasted. Maybe it was all of the candy floss and the fruit, but Yuri was amazing. He felt Yuri wrap his legs around his waist and try to jump up, but he was too drunk to do so. They stumbled into the wall, making a loud bang. "Shit, Yuri, I have to go." Yakov and Lilia would have surely heard that, and would still be awake waiting for their fairy.

"Go." Yuri said, and Altin rushed off to the elevator, already inside of it by the time Yakov opened the door with tired eyes. "Oi, sorry, just fell." He said, his heart hammering.

"Are you drunk?!" Yakov yelled, "Are you insane? You can't have a hangover tomorrow!"

"Yeah, I'm just buzzed and dizzy from the elevator. That thing is rough." He pushed his way passed Yakov, and immediately started brushing his teeth. "Good night." He said, and flopped into bed.

Yakov and Lilia were too tired to argue, but he would certainly be getting an earful about this tomorrow.

 **Hello again!**

 **Please note that starting next chapter, this story WILL be rated M, and will no longer display on the basic search.**

 **So please follow or favourite so you know when it updates!  
**

 **I would love to hear what you think!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Welcome Back!**

 **I had a lot of fun writing this chapter, it is significantly longer than the others.**

 **I do not own the music mentioned in this chapter, though I do recommend giving it a listen. :)**

Yuri had hardly been able to see Otabek at the Cup of China. Yakov and Lilia weren't letting him out of their sight, worried he would come back drunk again.

Yuri was furious when he got back to Russia without being able to see his Dark Horse again. He wanted to… What was it that he wanted to do with him? Kiss him? Make love? It didn't matter. He just wanted to be with him, to see his hair flick in the wind, to watch how the sun was captured in his eyes. "Ugh, fuck." Yuri said as he slammed his bags down by his bed, plopping onto it face first. Lilia and Yakov were downstairs, making sure that everything was in order. They were all exhausted from the flight.

" _Hey, sorry we couldn't hang out again…"_ He texted, apologising yet again. _"I had a wonderful time. Your performance was great too."_ Otabek had beaten Yuri, earning gold. Their placements had shifted from the Rostelecom cup. Yakov and Lilia blamed it on the alcohol.

" _No worries. I'm glad that we got to spend the time that we had together."_

" _Dinner was really great. Can I call?"_ Yuri responded, rolling over onto his back, his cat hopping up onto the bed to lay with him. Yuri reached his hand out, and the cat came snuggling up to him, He waited a couple of minutes to get a response or a call, but when it didn't happen, he decided to just dial away.

"Y-yuri? Now's a really bad time, can you give me a couple of minutes?" He sounded really out of breathe, as if he had just finished a practice run of one of his shows.

"Are you okay?" Yuri asked, sitting up, as if he could somehow stand between Otabek and whatever was ailing him from this distance. "You sound really out of breath! Did you hurt yourself? Are you on this ice?"

"No, I'm home." He said, his breath still shaky and his voice low.

Yuri paused, he knew this voice. This was his tone after they had finished kissing, panting for breath. "Are you… Are you with someone?" He felt pained and hurt. How could Otabek be with someone else? Maybe he was deluding himself by thinking that their relationship was going somewhere. Otabek was perfect, did he really deserve to be with him? Surely there had to be someone else.

Otabek paused, though Yuri could still make out the sound of heavy breathing, "No, I am alone."

Yuri paused as well, not knowing what to say, "Oh. Well. Uuuuuh…" HIs face was blushing, and although Otabek couldn't see it, he could certainly hear it in Yuri's tone of voice. "Um, having fun?"

"...What kind of question is that?" Otabek answered, "Really? You're not going to insult me? Call me a pervert, or a lonely old man?"

"No, I was going to ask…" He froze, knowing full well what he wanted to say. But he almost didn't feel confident enough to say it, "I was going to ask if you were thinking of me." God, this would be awkward if he wasn't.

"Would you really like to know? Or can I hang up and call you back?"

Yuri leaned back onto his bed sheets, his toes gripping the plush cotton, hair splayed out in a thousand whimsical directions, "No, I want to know." He purred. If Otabek wasn't thinking of him then, he sure was now.

"Yes. I was thinking about you." Otabek wanted off the phone, this whole conversation was incredibly awkward for him.

"What was I doing? In your daydream I mean." He smiled, almost whispering, "What dirty, sick little things were you picturing me doing?" He heard Otabek mumble something, but couldn't quite make out what was said. Was he speaking in Kazakh? "What dirty little pictures do you want of me?"

"Quday, Yuri." Otabek swore, "You're an asshole, you know that?"

"Mmm… You want me." Yuri rolled over onto his stomach, swinging his feet in the air, "That makes me so happy, Beka…" He bit his lip, the room fading to dark around him. Perhaps he should get up and turn off the lights, "I want to hear everything. Every sound to escape your lips." He got up to do just that, his fingers lingering on the switch for a moment, his finger tips tingling with lust. "I wish we had done this in China."

"Me too, but I'm also glad we didn't." He moaned, obviously enjoying whatever motions his hand was making, and no longer being ashamed to hide it. "I would have hated to have rushed you."

"Please, I wanted you so badly. I've wanted you since Rostelecom." He admitted, a heat growing in his tight jeans. "I had to sneak off after watching you skate in China. I really hope no one else was in that bathroom." Not the best place to get off, but he couldn't exactly contain himself in that moment.

"That's _really_ hot." Otabek shifted in the covers, throwing his blanket over his shoulder so that he wouldn't be cold, "Yuri, this is really awkward, I don't think that I-"

"What, never done this before?" Yuri said, teasing him. "Little phone-sex-virgin?" Yuri had to take his pants off, they were starting to cause him pain. He had never slipped those jeans off that quickly in his entire life. "I'm trying to fix your little issue, jerk. If I was there I'd be handling it myself- well, I'd be handling you myself."

Otabek froze when he heard Yuri gasp, his tone changing completely. He sounded desperate, pleading, "So, do it because I want you to." Yuri said, laying on his left hip, already getting moisture on his fresh and clean bedspreads. "I want you." He didn't want to be touching himself, he wanted Otabek to be there, "God, I wish you were here."

The thought that Yuri wanted him, and was doing sinful things to himself was enough to nearly send himself over the edge. He never thought he would be able to hear Yuri making these delicious sounds, hungry moans, thirsty and parched gasps. "I am here. I'm right here."

"Beka."

Neither of them said anything more, if something was vocalised, it was a moan of pleasure and longingly. Each of them desperately want the other to be there in a tangle of wet bedsheets and crumpled clothes.

* * *

Yuri headed downstairs, having cleaned up. His cheeks were no longer flushed, his hair was neat and styled in his usual manner, minus a few deliberately placed stray hairs. He didn't want to look too neat, that would be too obvious. Yakov was sitting in an arm chair, reading a few articles about the events of the cup of China. Lilia was in the kitchen, preparing what smelled like chicken, "Yum!" Yuri said, a tad too excited. He was starving.

Lilia looked over, her hair loose at her shoulder blades, "Yuri, your grandfather-"

"Dedushka!" Yuri exclaimed, running over to hug his grandfather, "I missed you!" He always felt like a little kid whenever his grandfather was around, "Pops?" He looked up from the embrace when his grandfather didn't seem as eager to see him, "Are you alright?"

"Yes, I am just reminded that you are getting older." He smiled, messing up Yuri's hair. "Why don't you tell me about your trip?"

"Why don't we hear about it over dinner." Lilia said, and Yakov helped her lay out plates on the table. Steam rose into the air from the creamy curry chicken, a Russian staple. "I would love to hear about that Canadian skater, Rebekah Smith? One of the female single skaters. The one you went to dinner with, correct?"

 _No. No no no._ Yuri's eyes widened in panic. How much had they heard? Enough to guess at a name. "Actually, I went to dinner with Otabek Altin." He sat down, maintaining his composure. At least he was able to be honest and deflect what Lilia was insinuating. "We had a wonderful meal at Nanxincang." He poured everyone some water.

Yakov seemed relieved, no one was taking his skater away from him. "I see." In less than two weeks, they would be in Austria for the finals. Yuri didn't need any distractions. "Is there any girl we should know about-"

"I do not appreciate what you are asking." Yuri set his fork and knife down calmly to take a sip of his water. Every pair of eyes in the room was on him. _I need to tell them. I need them to know. I want them to know. Otabek is important to me, I shouldn't have to hide how I feel about him. I shouldn't need to hide how I feel. I don't want to hide who I am!_ "I'm gay."

Silence fell in the room, no one touched their food, their drink, no one made a sound. Nikolai was extremely tense.

Yuri did not give a single damn, and took another bite of his chicken. It was suddenly more flavourful, everything felt brighter and more alive.

"You're too young to know that." Yakov was the first to speak, "How can you really know? Did Viktor tell you this? Did he ra-"

"Viktor did nothing to me. I always knew this. I know what I like in a person, just like everyone else does." He couldn't take back what he said now. But he was certain of it. He was certain that now, on a matter of impulse, was the right time to say something. He didn't want to be asked about girls any longer. "Otabek is my boyfriend. I greatly care for him." It was too soon to say love, "And he cares for me. You're my family, you deserve to know."

"I would love to meet him." Nikolai said, taking Yuri's hand, "I love you more than anyone else in the whole world Yurachaka. If you say you care for him, I'm sure he is a wonderful man. I love you no matter what you say you are."

Lilia remained quiet, now absentmindedly playing with her fork. Their attentions were now turned to her, waiting to hear what she thought. "What you claim to be does not impact what I think of you as a work of art. You are stunning. If accepting this means I can continue to shape the masterpiece that you are becoming, then so be it." Yakov and Lilia's reactions were lukewarm at best, but Yuri expected that.

"Thank you." Yuri said, tears coming into his eyes, "I… I love you." He sniffled, and everyone looked up with a jolt, "I'm so happy." He wiped a lone tear that was rolling towards his smiling pink lips.

* * *

Yuri looked down at his phone, and up to the gates of the airport. The double glass doors calling for him as he waited. He felt like jumping out of the car and rushing to find the one he was waiting for.

Finally, he couldn't wait any longer, "Bye!" He shouted to Nikolai, rushing out of the car. He booked it towards baggage claim on the first floor of the airport, the blue signs that littered the place in a thousand different languages making it easy for him.

There he was, in black slacks and a lilac button up. His brown leather shoes giving a sense of incompleteness to the outfit, but they complimented his eyes. Gold adorned his wrist, his watch capturing the glint of the flickering of old lights above them. "Beka!" Yuri called, impatient as he continued his charge. "Beka!"

Otabek spun around, his tie swinging with him. Yuri hadn't noticed it before now. A perfectly tied eldredge knot on a black tie. It showed meticulous attention to detail. "Yuri!" He smiled, abandoning the search for his luggage to wrap his arms around the man that flung into his arms. "Hey, good to see you."

"I missed you." He buried his face into his chest, and Otabek grabbed his suitcase as it passed it one hand.

"I missed you too." He let go of Yuri, people were starting to stare. "Come on, let's go." He smiled, not taking Yuri's hand as he would have liked. They couldn't kiss in reunion.

They had spent so many nights this past week staying up to speak to one another. It got to the point where Otabek said fuck it, and that he was flying up to Russia to spend his last week in training before the grand prix with Yuri.

Nikolai got out of the car when he saw his grandson and his boyfriend approaching, "Otabek! It is wonderful to meet you." Otabek held his hand out for a handshake, but Nikolai went for a hug. Otabek didn't know what to do, as his arms are now pinned close to him, which caused Yuri to laugh.

"Oi gramps, you're crushing him."

"Ah, sorry! Let me help you with this." He hoisted Otabek's bags into the trunk of the small car. Otabek smiled feeling awkward, as he didn't get the chance to put anything away as Nikolai had taken care of it too quickly. "I made lunch, let's hurry before the cat eats it."

Yuri laughed, opening the back door for Otabek, "After you, princess."

Otabek rolled his eyes with a smile still plastered on his face and slid into the car. Yuri got in on the other side, placing his hand on top of Otabek's. "Where are we going?" Otabek asked as they pulled away from the bustling inner city airport.

"We're gonna go to my home and eat lunch, then head to the rink. Leave your stuff in the car, we are staying with Lilia for the rest of the week." He placed his head on his shoulder, feeling at ease now that they were by each other's side. "I didn't expect you to really fly all of the way out here, especially so close to finals."

"All the more reason why I don't need your calls and texts distracting me." He smiled, "You can't do any of that if I'm here." He kissed his forehead, not afraid of showing affection in front of his grandfather. Apparently Yuri had told him everything.

Yuri spoke in English so that his grandfather could not understand, "Yes, but there are other things I could do to distract you." He said in a calm tone of voice, to not give his grandfather any hint as to what he was saying.

"English my is bad, you know." Otabek laughed, but he was still able to make out what Yuri was saying. "You evil are."

Yuri couldn't help but laugh at how awful Otabek's english was, switching back to Russian. "That was pathetic."

"I had to teach myself, they don't teach English in school back home." He looked up to the front seat, at Nikolai. He had a huge smile plastered on his face. Interestingly, Yuri did not get the incessant smile gene. But nonetheless, he did have a beautiful smile.

"That sucks." Yuri sat up straight, looking out the window. "I haven't been to school in years." He stopped going after he became a professional skater, and was homeschooled.

"So, when did you two become official?" Nikolai posed, looking at them through the rear view mirror. Nikolai hadn't heard much of Otabek until very recently.

"Sorry?" Otabek asked, looking at Yuri, wondering if his Russian was bad too. "Official? I'm sorry, I don't understand the context." Were they sealing government forms? Filing taxes?

"Oh!" Yuri said, elbowing Otabek, "See, we're not actually… official."

"I still do not understand." But Yuri was blushing, and that made him blush in turn.

"It means that we have not formally agreed on the status of… us." Yuri explained. Everything between them so far had just been chance meetings and a wonderful phone 'conversation.' As well as many text messages and video calls. Did Otabek even want a relationship? Or… Was he not serious about them? The latter prospect made him feel fainthearted.

"Oh!" Otabek said, whispering to Yuri, "I wanted to talk to you about that… But alone." He took Yuri's hands into his, "Good things, I promise." Otabek's eyes shifted to be much warmer, and there was almost something loving about them.

"Yeah sure." He smiled, feeling nervous. "Gramps, could you drop Otabek and I off at the park? We'll walk back to the house." They wouldn't be able to stay for long, Lilia lived quite a distance away.

Otabek was unnerved by how sudden it was, feeling unprepared. "Yuri, is now the best time?"

"I don't want to be distracted while on the ice. So this is the only time." Yuri smiled, "Unless there's something you're worried about?"

' _Yeah, we're in Russia.'_ Otabek thought, but decided not to say. "Yeah, you're right." He smiled, "We shouldn't be distracted." He promised his coach that he would continue to work for this coming week. Well, he told his coach that he would. He left without giving hi coach much of a choice.

Nikolai smiled, "Sounds good, be safe out there." They were both dressed for the cold, so they should be fine, "You don't need to be getting sick before your trip!" The air had quite a chill, "I'll have hot tea ready."

Yuri stuck out his tongue, never having found a tea that he liked. But Otabek on the other hand loved tea. "Thank you." Altin said, looking out the window. He could see Yuri's reflection from the foggy glass. Yuri was watching him, looking at his face, "Yuri?"

"Yes?" Yuri asked, looking away as Otabek shifted around. "Oh, we're here." He looked down the walkway, admiring its trees covered in snow; the snow threatened to fall with the next strong gust of wind. "Thanks pops!" Yuri leaned over the front seat, giving his grandfather a hug before dragging Otabek out of the car, who also said his thanks.

Yuri smiled, sliding his hands into the pockets of his hoodie. He loved the sound that their shoes made as they fell onto the old wood of the walkway. The scent of the pine trees was completely invigorating, it made him think of Christmas, which was coming up. "Sorry, I just… wanted to be alone with you."

"Should I be calling the police?" Otabek laughed, "It's alright, I'm glad for this time too."

Yuri knew what they were supposed to be talking about, but he was too timid to bring it up. Him, Yuri Plisetsky, was feeling shy. "So…"

Otabek suddenly stopped him, taking Yuri's hand and bringing it to his lips, kissing it. "I would like you to be mine. Exclusively." He didn't know how else to say it. How did Russians become official? He honestly had no idea. "Is that alright?"

Yuri froze, "Let go of my hand." He wasn't looking directly at him, somewhere in the distance. "Do not turn around. We're going to keep walking." Otabek let go of Yuri's hand, and Yuri felt like he was going to pass out. A mother was talking to park security, she had briefly pointed at them, her two kids hanging around her waist. "My answer is yes. But we can't hug, we can't kiss. Stay at least a foot away from me." Worst comes to worst, they would just get a fine, right? That's all it was, a fine. It was a fine on love.

Otabek was concerned, though he trusted Yuri and walked a foot and a half to his right. "What's going on?"

"Someone might have been saying something about us. You're a foreigner." He remembered that as good as Otabek's Russian was, he still wasn't a citizen. "They'll lock you in jail for fifteen days, and then deport you." No one had been arrested for two years, supposedly. That's because people became afraid. Those that weren't, and tried to express themselves publicly weren't arrested, they were beat. They were murdered. Ever since the passing of the law a few years ago, violence against homosexuals skyrocketed, hate was justified. "Or just shoot us."

"Wonderful." Otabek said, "Viktor and Yuri?"

"I believe Yuri's performance wasn't aired, or they cut out anything that looked gay." He didn't remember off of the top of his head. "He's not Russian, so I don't know if they would have done anything. They could just say that it's part of his 'weird, foreign culture' and that he 'tainted Viktor.'"

Otabek nodded. No one was following them. "I meant what I said, Yuri."

"I know." Yuri looked at him, sincerity in his eyes, snow trapped on his eyelashes, "I'm glad. I just wish…" He looked down, hair falling to frame his face. "I wish the world wasn't this way." Yuri was far better off than a couple of weeks ago, where he was hating himself. But was hating the mindset of the world any better?

* * *

Yuri panted, his knees hitting the ice roughly. He covered his mouth, about to throw up. He heard Yakov yelling at him, but everything sounded as if he were underwater.

"What's come over him?!" Yakov asked, looking to Otabek. "Do you know something?"

Otabek knew. Otabek knew about the kiss they had shared in Yuri's childhood bedroom after lunch. He had been so happy that Yuri returned his feelings. He had never felt more connected to another human being than in that moment. "He's just a bit worked up, that's all." Yuri was overflowing with emotions. Between their feelings now being out in the open, and the grand prix finals so close, Otabek didn't blame him. His body was beat up from the stress of the entire season. "Can we call it a day?" Otabek looked out the window, the sun had already been down for awhile.

Lilia nodded, folding her arms. "Alright. Yuri! Come on!" They had a schedule to keep. Otabek coming here was definitely a bad idea, Yuri was distracted. "Fix this." She demanded to the Dark Horse, who skated over to his boyfriend.

Otabek extended his hand, and Yuri reached for it, looking up. "Sorry… I don't feel so good."

"I hope you're not getting sick… It was cold out today." Otabek pulled the Russian up. Yuri's legs were shaky, he was struggling to stand up straight. "Come on, off the ice we go." He pulled Yuri along to the edge of the rink, helping him up. He could feel Lilia and Yakov staring at them, waiting for them to pack up and get in the car.

"I think I am." Yuri's cheeks were more flushed than usual. Otabek brought his lips to Yuri's forehead to check for a fever, indeed finding that his temperature was elevated.

"You need to be getting rest…"

"Not until after the grand prix." Yuri said, swapping out his skates for his sneakers. "Just don't get it from me." Yuri knew logically that it was too late for that, with the amount of spit that they had been swapping at every opportunity.

"Yeah right, that would be impossible, considering I'm sleeping with you." At least, that was the impression he had gotten. Unless Lilia had an extra guest room, other than the one Yuri was using.

They headed to the car, Yakov was already in the front seat. Otabek's belongings had been moved to the trunk of this car from Yuri's Grandfather's. As such, there was no room in the trunk, so the two skaters held their duffle bags in their laps.

Yuri was quiet, so Otabek was the one to speak up, "Yuri is getting sick." He said as they started to pull away from the rink.

Yakov felt his heart sink, and Lilia turned back to face them. "Is that why you were falling so much today? Yuri, you're supposed to be watching over your health." She normally would have scolded him for being irresponsible, but chiding wouldn't help him get better. She fell into more of a maternal role, "What are your symptoms?"

Yuri glared at Otabek for saying something. He didn't want to be coddled, and he didn't want Lilia to be acting sweet. It was weird. "I'm dizzy and have a fever." He really didn't feel anything other than that, and he hoped it stayed that way.

Lilia didn't need to say anything as Yakov pulled off to the nearest pharmacy. She was about to get out of the car, when Otabek stepped out as well. "I can make ginger root citrus tea, it will help him in addition to your medicine." His great grandmother had been from China, or so he had been told, and she had taught his mother how to make certain medicines for colds, who then taught him.

The Russian nodded leading him into the grocer. She headed off to the pharmacy in the back of the store, and Otabek wandered off to look at the produce. He found the gingerroot, surprised that they carried it raw, which was better. He then picked up a few oranges, imported of course. He purchased the ingredients and waited for Lilia, who didn't take long. She seemed worried. "He'll be fine."

Lilia nodded, though her sour expression didn't fade. Something was definitely getting under her skin. She had never seen Yuri sick.

Otabek wasn't going to ask her about it, it wasn't his place. Though when they got back to the car, Yuri as dozing off in the back seat, barely awake. "Yuri, I need you to take this." She said, opening the right passenger door, letting the cold Russian air in. She passed him a bottle of electrolyte water, and put two capsules of medicine into his palm. Yuri looked at it with sleepy eyes, throwing his head back to swallow the pills.

She got back into the front seat, and their ride home continued. Yakov tried to strike up conversation, though Lilia simply stared out the window, which everyone except for the sleeping beauty noticed.

* * *

Yuri didn't skate the next day, even though he insisted on going to the rink to watch Otabek skate. He sat behind the glass, swaddled up in a thick blanket, a cup of Otabek's nasty tasting ginger tea in his hands. Otabek had tried to sweeten it up with honey, but Yuri's sweet tooth would not be outmatched.

Otabek was grateful for Yakov's instructions, given that his own coach was absent. Compared to Yuri, Otabek's skating was far less formulaic. Yuri had his motions down to a science, and even though he tended to deviate from his plan in the moment during competition, he none the less had a plan. Otabek was very expressive, despite his usual stoid demeanor, and his feelings came across vividly in his skating. Today, every step expressed one simple word: worry.

"Do that again! Wipe that frown off your face!" Yakov shouted. Lilia wasn't saying anything, Otabek was anything but a ballerina, and she was more preoccupied with watching Yuri. She wouldn't tear her eyes off of him.

"Yes sir!" Otabek replied, running through his routine for the twelfth time. He was exhausted, he didn't see how Yuri could be run down like a dog like this every single day. But then again, that was why he was so good, other than natural born ability.

He panted as he skated over to the wall, grabbing his water bottle. Yakov didn't say anything, which meant that he had done well that time. He met Yuri's bloodshot eyes, "Feeling any better?"

Yuri nodded, putting his phone down. "That was beautiful." Otabek's skating was mesmerizing. Every time he watched, it still felt so unique and fresh. Every run was slightly different, expressing something new. He could never do that.

"Thank you. You are too." He smiled, taking another sip of the water, and wiping the sweat out of his eyes.

Yuri blushed, "Nerd." Was all he said, and then Yakov yelled for Otabek to get back to work.

This time, each wave of his arm screamed of love.

* * *

Otabek let the water run down his back, soothing his throbbing muscles. Yakov sure was one hell of a slave driver, his muscles were going to be on fire tomorrow. He took a blood thinner in advance to help make sure he wouldn't be too tense.

Otabek picked up the shampoo, looking at it. "Lily's?" He said, reading the front of the bottle. He never noticed that Yuri's hair smelled like flowers. There was a matching conditioner as well, no wonder his hair was so soft.

After washing himself, he hoped of the shower and turned the water off. He could hear the thumping of bass coming from Yuri's room. He slipped his clothes on, and curiously went to the source of the noise.

Yuri was dancing around his room, listening to an American R&B song by Jon Bellion. The medicine was clearly getting to his head, completely absorbed in the sway of his body. He was singing along, "The secrets you tell me, I'll take to my grave. There's bones in my closet, but you hang stuff anyway." His voice trailed off as he looked to Otabek, simply getting quieter for a moment, "And if you have nightmares, we'll dance on the bed. I know that you'll love me, love me." He grabbed Otabek by the collar, kissing his cheek, "Even when I lose my head! Guillotine!"

Otabek smiled as Yuri got back to his dancing, his arms throwing above his head, hips moving seductively. He certainly wasn't acting sick anymore. "Kiss my lips, feel the rhythm of your heart and hips. I will pray, so the castle that we build won't cave." The chorus from before repeated, and Yuri began to repeat the word guillotine in sync with the music. He wasn't shy or bashful any more, he was simply having fun. His blonde hair flipping all over the place, "You fill me up, you fill me up, you set my soul ablazing. You fill me up you fill me up, your love is so amazing. Even when I lose my head, guillotine!"

Yuri hugged Otabek when the song was over, and Otabek reached for the remote, turning off the speaker before the next song could come up. "Dancing all over the place is not what I would call resting." He smiled, wrapping his arms around him, rocking back and forth gently.

"I know. But the song came on, and I thought of you." He smiled, looking up at him. "I thought it fits us well."

Otabek hadn't been able to understand the majority of the lyrics, but it did sound like a nice song, even nicer when Yuri sang it. "I didn't know you liked American music, it was nice."

"I like some stuff, I like electronica a lot." It was all he listened to while on planes. It helped pump him up for performances. Classical music just didn't do that for him. "Put it back on." Yuri whined, reaching for the remote, "Just one more time."

"Then we'll head to bed?" Otabek said, holding the remote above him, just so that he couldn't reach it.

"Sure." Yuri said, though as soon as the music was back on, he pulled Otabek against him with surprising strength for a sick person. Otabek hadn't been expecting it, so they fell back onto the bed. Yuri desperately wanted Otabek to kiss him, though he wouldn't ask him to, not when it might get him sick, if he wasn't already. So he didn't ask, not with his voice. His eyes phrased the question in a thousand different ways.

"You're a pain." Otabek said as he brought their lips together, taking a moment to enjoy how his lover tasted.

"Meanie!" Yuri moaned as Otabek's kisses left his lips and wandered to his neck. He gasped when he felt Otabek's teeth barely graze his sensitive skin. His voice fell meek, "Jerk-"

Lilia knocked on the open door. Both of the froze, not wanting to look up. Otabek had forgotten that he had left the door open. "Can this wait? At least a week." She tapped on the dresser.

"Yes ma'am." Both said, not moving until she left the room, shutting the door behind her.

Yuri burst out laughing, "Did she think we were gonna…?"

"Probably." Otabek blushed, making Yuri blush in turn.

"Do you… want to?" Yuri asked as Otabek rolled off of him. Yuri rolled onto his side to be able to look at him better. Otabek was staring at the ceiling, obviously heavy in thought. "Goodnight." Yuri said, crawling up to the top of the bed and slipping underneath the covers.

"Goodnight." Otabek said after a moment, following suit. He reached up and turned off the light.

They sat in silence for a moment. Otabek had his hands folded over the covers. He listened to Yuri's gentle but harsh breathing, he was still very tired, the cold was taking its toll on him.

Yuri suddenly slid over, burying his face into Otabek's shoulder, finding comfort in his worth. "Goodnight, Beka." He said again, making Otabek smile.

"Goodnight, Yuratchaka." He smiled, closing his eyes, lulled to sleep by the scent of lilies.

 **Thank you for Reading!**

 **** **Please let me know what you thought!**


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